The New Stack Podcast

The Linux xz utils backdoor exploit, discussed in an interview at the Open Source Summit 2024 on The New Stack Makers with John Kjell, director of open source at TestifySec, highlights critical vulnerabilities in the open-source ecosystem. This exploit involved a maintainer of the Linux xz utils project adding malicious code to a new release, discovered by a Microsoft engineer. This breach demonstrates the high trust placed in maintainers and how this trust can be exploited. Kjell explains that the backdoor allowed remote code execution or unauthorized server access through SSH connections.

The exploit reveals a significant flaw: the human element in open source. Maintainers, often under pressure from company executives to quickly address vulnerabilities and updates, can become targets for social engineering. Attackers built trust within the community by contributing to projects over time, eventually gaining maintainer status and inserting malicious code. This scenario underscores the economic pressures on open source, where maintainers work unpaid and face demands from large organizations, exposing the fragility of the open-source supply chain. Despite these challenges, the community's resilience is also evident in their rapid response to such threats.

Learn more from The New Stack about Linux xz utils

Linux xz Backdoor Damage Could Be Greater Than Feared

Unzipping the XZ Backdoor and Its Lessons for Open Source

The Linux xz Backdoor Episode: An Open Source Myster

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Blockchain technology continues to drive innovation despite declining hype, with Distributed Ledgers (DLTs) offering secure, decentralized digital asset transactions. In an On the Road episode of The New Stack Makers recorded at Open Source Summit North America, Andrew Aitken of Hedera and Dr. Leemon Baird of Swirlds Labs discussed DLTs with Alex Williams.

Baird highlighted the Hashgraph Consensus Algorithm, an efficient, secure distributed consensus mechanism he created, leveraging a hashgraph data structure and gossip protocol for rapid, robust transaction sharing among network nodes. This algorithm, which has been open source under the Apache 2.0 license for nine months, aims to maintain decentralization by involving 32 global organizations in its governance. Aitken emphasized building an ecosystem of DLT contributors, adhering to open source best practices, and developing cross-chain applications and more wallets to enhance exchange capabilities. This collaborative approach seeks to ensure transparency in both governance and software development. For more insights into DLT’s 2.0 era, listen to the full episode.

Learn more from The New Stack about Distributed Ledgers (DLTs)

IOTA Distributed Ledger: Beyond Blockchain for Supply Chains

Why I Changed My Mind About Blockchain

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In a recent episode of The New Stack Makers, recorded at the Open Source Summit North America, Matt Hartley, Linux support lead at Framework, discusses the importance of the "right to repair" movement. This initiative seeks to allow consumers to repair and upgrade their own electronic devices, countering the trend of disposable electronics that contribute to environmental damage. Framework, a company offering modular and customizable laptops, embodies this philosophy by enabling users to replace outdated components easily.

Hartley, interviewed by Chris Pirillo, highlights how Framework’s approach helps reduce electronic waste, likening obsolete electronics to a form of "technical debt." He shares his personal struggle with old devices, like an ASUS Eee, illustrating the need for repairable technology. Hartley also describes his role in fostering a DIY community, collaborating closely with Fedora Linux maintainers and creating user-friendly support scripts. Framework’s community is actively contributing to the platform, developing new features and hardware integrations.

The episode underscores the growing momentum of the right to repair movement, advocating for consumer empowerment and environmental sustainability.

Learn more from The New Stack about repairing and upgrading devices:

New Linux Laptops Come with Right-to-Repair and More

Troubling Tech Trends: The Dark Side of CES 2024

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Nathan Peck, a senior developer advocate for generative AI at Amazon Web Services (AWS), shares his experiences working with Python in a recent episode of The New Stack Makers, recorded at PyCon US. Although not a Python expert, Peck frequently deals with Python scripts in his role, often assisting colleagues in running scripts as cron jobs. He highlights the challenge of being a T-shaped developer, possessing broad knowledge across multiple languages and frameworks but deep expertise in only a few.

Peck introduces Amazon Q, a generative AI coding assistant launched by AWS in November, and demonstrates its capabilities. The assistant can be integrated into an integrated development environment (IDE) like VS Code. It assists in explaining, refactoring, fixing, and even developing new features for Python codebases. Peck emphasizes Amazon Q's ability to surface best practices from extensive AWS documentation, making it easier for developers to navigate and apply.

Amazon Q Developer is available for free to users with an AWS Builder ID, without requiring an AWS cloud account. Peck's demo showcases how this tool can simplify and enhance the coding experience, especially for those handling complex or unfamiliar codebases.

Learn more from The New Stack about Amazon Q and Amazon’s Generative AI strategy:

Amazon Q, a GenAI to Understand AWS (and Your Business Docs)

Decoding Amazon’s Generative AI Strategy

Responsible AI at Amazon Web Services: Q&A with Diya Wynn

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Mike Fiedler, a PyPI safety and security engineer at the Python Software Foundation, prefers the title “code gardener,” reflecting his role in maintaining and securing open source projects. Recorded at PyCon US, Fiedler explains his task of “pulling the weeds” in code—handling unglamorous but crucial aspects of open source contributions. Since August, funded by Amazon Web Services, Fiedler has focused on enhancing the security of the Python Package Index (PyPI). His efforts include ensuring that both packages and the pipeline are secure, emphasizing the importance of vetting third-party modules before deployment.

One of Fiedler’s significant initiatives was enforcing mandatory two-factor authentication (2FA) for all PyPI user accounts by January 1, following a community awareness campaign. This transition was smooth, thanks to proactive outreach. Additionally, the foundation collaborates with security researchers and the public to report and address malicious packages.

In late 2023, a security audit by Trail of Bits, funded by the Open Technology Fund, identified and quickly resolved medium-sized vulnerabilities, increasing PyPI's overall security. More details on Fiedler's work are available in the full interview video.

Learn more from The New Stack about PyPl:

PyPl Strives to Pull Itself Out of Trouble

How Python Is Evolving

Poisoned Lolip0p PyPI Packages

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